Salt shaker



Jan. 10, 1933. wElDLlCH ET L 1,894,076

SALT SHAKE R Filed NOV. 14. 1929 IN VENTORS George ERuseZZ BY KZWWW A TTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 10, 1933 rarer) stares PATENT OFFICE LOUIS WEIDLICH, OF STRATFOED, AND GEORGE E. RUSSELL, F BRIDGEPORT, CON- NEGTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO THE WEIDLICH BROS, MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT SALT SHAKER Application filed November 14, 1929. Serial No. 407,126.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in salt and pepper shakers and has for its object to provide a simple form of shaker adapted to auton'iatically close by means of a ball when the said shaker is set in an upright position to keep the contents dry.

A further feature of the invention is to provide limited opening movement of the ball with respect to its seat, whereby the salt may be discharged between the ball and seat, comprising an attachable cap having spaced apart adjustable fingers to engage the ball and whereby the salt discharged from the receptacle may be sifted out through the perforations of the cap.

A further object of the invention to provide detachable means for the closure cap whereby it, together with the ball, may be readily removed at any time for the purpose of cleaning, adjustment, or repairs.

With these and other objects in View, the invention resides and consists in the con struction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that va- -rious changes in the form, proportion, size,

' and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departure from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Similar characters of reference denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and upon which Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a metal form of salt shaker, the discharge top end of which is constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the shaker shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a similar longitudinal section through the shaker, in an inverted position as in the act of discharging salt therefrom;

Fig. 4 shows, upon an enlarged scale, an inverted detached plan view of the attaclr able cap and ball shown in the preceding figures; and

Fig. 5v shows a similar inverted view of the cap only.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating a suitable embodiment and application of the invention, 6 indicates the body or receptacle part of a salt shaker, which in this instance, is designed to be made of metal, though obviously could be made of glass or any other suitable material. This receptacle includes a reduced outlet end portion 7 which is provided with an externally threaded neck 8 and an internal annular shoulder 9. 10 represents a ball which is preferably made of glass and of a diameter slightly larger than that of the opening through the neck of the shaker so that the ball normally rests upon the annular seat 9 before mentioned. This ball is adapted to be removed from the seat from time to time for the purpose of shaking out the salt and is accomplished by tilting the shaker over in part or entirely as shown in Fig. 3, so as to cause the ball to drop away from its seat leaving an annular opens ing between the ball and seat through which salt. may be poured for discharge through the cap attached to the neck of the bottle. This cap 11 has a threaded portion 12 for engagement with the threaded neck portion of the shaker and whereby the same may be attached and removed as occasion requires.

The upper edge portion of the cap is scalloped forming a series of inwardly disposed fingers. 13 and a like series of openings 14 between said iingers. The fingers are disposed both upwardly and inwardly in spaced relation to the ball in position to permit of limited movement thereof. The surface of the ball above its greaest diameter engages the fingers thus preventing the ball from falling out. The fingers, being made of metal, can be adjusted by setting them in closer to the ball or out further from it, better to allow more or less play to the ball as may be necessary.

In Fig. 3 where the shaker is shown in an inverted position, the ball has dropped from its seat and is supported by the ends of the fingers of the cap, leaving a free passage from the shaker between the ball and seat and through the outlets between the fingers. This ball thus protrudes more or less and as a result can readily be engaged and rotated so as to clear itself of adhering salt should it be come moist and clogged, thus being more inducive to cleanliness.

In the production of our novel salt shaker as shown and described, we have overcome objections which frequently arise with the old types of metal salt shakers having a perforated cup, since the cap can be readily removed, leaving the ball free to be cleaned, and likewise owing to the particular construction of the cap which is minus the usual perforations, it can also be readily cleaned and again positioned over the ball on the outlet end portion of the shaker. The ball normally serves to seal the shaker in a way to prevent the salt therein from becoming damp, which otherwise would occur, during certain seasons of the year. This automatic or normally sealing feature for the container together with the fact that the sealing is done by a glass member rather than a metal member further serves to insure a non-corrosive article.

Having thus described the invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A salt shaker having an unobstructed ball top and comprising a receptacle having an inner annular seat in its discharge end and an outer threaded periphery, a ball rotatably mounted upon said seat to close the receptacle, an attached threaded annular cap encircling the ball and seat and including a series of upwardly and inwardly extended re silient curved spaced-apart fingers to engage and limit the movement of the ball when disengaged from its seat, said fingers normally being in spaced relation to the ball and terminating below the upper surface of said ball whereby said surface at all times presents an upwardly projecting unobstructed portion for manually rotating it upon its seat.

2. A salt shaker having an unobstructed ball top and comprising a receptacle having an opening and annular seat surrounding the same, a ball rotatably mounted upon said seat to close the shaker, an attached annular threaded ring having an upwardly-and inwardly disposed scalloped edge forming salt openings and means to engage and limit the movement of the ball when disconnected from its seat, said scalloped edge normally being in spaced relation to the ball and terminating below its upper surface, and whereby all of said upper surface of said ball is at all times entirely exposed for manually rotating it upon its seat.

Signed at Bridgeport in the County of Fairfield and State of Connecticut this 12th day of November A. D., 1929.

LOUIS WEIDLICH.

GEORGE E. RUSSELL. 

